There are 13 exemptions contained in OPMA:

1)

Meetings not open to all of the members of the public body in question.*

2)

Parole Boards.

3)

The State Commission of Investigations.

4)

Meetings not attended by an effective majority of the members of a public body*

5)

When the members of a public body meet, but do not intend to discuss nor act upon public business.

6)

The Apportionment Committee.

7)

Any record within the attorney-client privilege.

8)

Any political party committee.

9)

 Informal or purely advisory bodies.

10)

Meetings of a public official with subordinates.

11)

 Judiciary, Grand and Petit Juries.

12)

Meetings not attended by an effective majority of the members of a public body*

13)

EMERGENCY MEETINGS
A public body may convene an “emergency meeting” when an urgent and important matter arises and a delay of the meeting for the purpose of provide adequate notice would likely result in substantial harm to the public interest. If an emergency meeting is convened without adequate notice, the public body is required to comply with very strict procedural requirements.
These include:
     (1) an affirmative vote of three-quarters of the members present to conduct the meeting;
     (2) the providing of notice of the meeting as soon as possible following the calling of such a meeting; and
     (3) the inclusion in the minutes of a detailed statement explaining:
          (a) the nature of the urgency and its importance,
          (b) the nature of substantial harm to the public interest likely to result from a delay in holding the meeting,
          (c) that the meeting will be limited to those urgent and important matters,
          (d) the time, place and manner in which notice of the meeting was provided, and
          (e) that the need for such a meeting could not have been reasonably foreseen at a time when adequate notice could have been provided, or such need could have been foreseen, the reason(s) why adequate notice was not provided.

*The Open Public Meetings Law specifically prohibits any person or public body from failing to invite a portion of its members in order to avoid the requirements of the Law.